Abstract
Background
The fraction of ill-health overall attributable to occupational conditions has not been extensively evaluated, thus contributing to the perception of a lesser relevance of education and research in occupational health in respect to other fields of medical research and practice.
Aims
To assess the relevance of work-related conditions on the aetiology of human ill-health in different health domains.
Methods
We extracted the risk estimates associated with heritability and with occupational risk factors for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), major depressive disorder (MDD) and long QT syndrome (LQTS) from 13 published international reports. The selection criteria for the eligible studies were: genome-wide studies, or studies of the occupational risk factors associated with one of the three diseases of interest. We calculated and compared the respective population attributable fraction for the combined occupational risk factors, and for heritability.
Results
We estimated that occupational risk factors would account for 12% (95% confidence interval (CI) 4–19) of CLL, 11% (95% CI 7–15) of MDD and 10% (95% CI 2–13) of LQTS burden in the general population. The corresponding figures for heritability would be 16% (95% CI 11–22), 28% (95% CI 20–5) and 17% (95% CI 7–27).
Conclusions
More efforts in capacity building and research in occupational health are warranted aiming to prevent ill-health and to preserve a productive life for the ageing work population.
The fraction of ill-health overall attributable to occupational conditions has not been extensively evaluated, thus contributing to the perception of a lesser relevance of education and research in occupational health in respect to other fields of medical research and practice.
Aims
To assess the relevance of work-related conditions on the aetiology of human ill-health in different health domains.
Methods
We extracted the risk estimates associated with heritability and with occupational risk factors for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), major depressive disorder (MDD) and long QT syndrome (LQTS) from 13 published international reports. The selection criteria for the eligible studies were: genome-wide studies, or studies of the occupational risk factors associated with one of the three diseases of interest. We calculated and compared the respective population attributable fraction for the combined occupational risk factors, and for heritability.
Results
We estimated that occupational risk factors would account for 12% (95% confidence interval (CI) 4–19) of CLL, 11% (95% CI 7–15) of MDD and 10% (95% CI 2–13) of LQTS burden in the general population. The corresponding figures for heritability would be 16% (95% CI 11–22), 28% (95% CI 20–5) and 17% (95% CI 7–27).
Conclusions
More efforts in capacity building and research in occupational health are warranted aiming to prevent ill-health and to preserve a productive life for the ageing work population.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 327-331 |
| Journal | Occupational Medicine |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Early online date | 12 Apr 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 20 Jun 2018 |
Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms
- Manchester Institute for Collaborative Research on Ageing
